Abstracts
Abstract
This paper explores how international partnerships are conceptualized between core Anglophone, European, and African universities. Internationalization strategies are examined from a decolonial lens to situate the findings within a global context that is entangled in the consequences of colonialism and ongoing coloniality that continue to perpetuate global inequities, including devaluing of Indigenous and local knowledge. Findings suggest that institutions in the Global North still view Africa, and the Global South in general, from a deficit lens and in need of aid, knowledge, and direction. Strategies from the Global North use terms like “mentoring,” “development” and “poverty reduction” when describing their partnerships in the Global South. In contrast, institutions from Africa highlight their desire to be knowledge producers and contribute to research excellence on a global level. Furthermore, institutions in all regions frame strategic international partnerships as those that will boost their reputation or image as they engage in a race for status and global rankings; however, strategies do not describe how they will approach such partnerships in a very uneven global playing field between the Global North and Global South. Finally, the Global South continues to be viewed as a source of international students and as such, partnerships pursued in Africa and the Global South by core Anglo and European institutions focus on recruitment of students as one of the rationales or benefits of partnerships. Given these findings, international strategies for Global North-South partnerships continue to reproduce colonial hierarchies of power, preventing more equitable approaches to partnerships.
Keywords:
- internationalization,
- decolonization,
- international partnerships,
- higher education,
- Global North,
- Global South
Résumé
Cet article explore la manière dont les partenariats internationaux sont conceptualisés entre les principales universités anglophones, européennes et africaines. Les stratégies d’internationalisation sont examinées dans une optique décoloniale afin de situer les résultats dans un contexte mondial inextricablement lié aux conséquences du colonialisme et de la colonisation actuelle qui continuent à perpétuer les inégalités mondiales, y compris la dévaluation des connaissances indigènes et locales. Les résultats suggèrent que les institutions du Nord global considèrent toujours l’Afrique, et le Sud global en général, comme déficitaire et ayant besoin d’aide, de connaissances et d’orientation. Les stratégies du Nord global utilisent des termes tels que « tutorat », « développement » et « réduction de la pauvreté » pour décrire leurs partenariats dans le Sud global alors que les établissements africains, pour leur part, soulignent leur volonté d’être producteurs de connaissances et de contribuer à l’excellence de la recherche au niveau mondial. En outre, les établissements de toutes les régions définissent les partenariats internationaux stratégiques comme ceux qui renforcent leur réputation ou leur image dans une course au statut et aux classements mondiaux; toutefois, les stratégies ne décrivent pas comment ils comptent aborder ces partenariats dans le contexte mondial très inégal de la Limite Nord/Sud. Enfin, le Sud global continue d’être considéré comme une source d’étudiants internationaux et, à ce titre, les partenariats établis en Afrique et dans le Sud global par les institutions anglophones et européennes se concentrent sur le recrutement d’étudiants comme l’une des raisons ou l’un des avantages des partenariats. Au vu de ces résultats, les stratégies internationales pour les partenariats de la Limite Nord-Sud continuent de reproduire les hiérarchies coloniales du pouvoir, empêchant ainsi des approches aux partenariats plus équitables.
Mots-clés :
- internationalisation,
- décolonisation,
- partenariats internationaux,
- enseignement supérieur,
- Nord global
Appendices
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